Lake Forest College Sports Information
Contact:  Mike Wajerski, SID

2001 Preview: Foresters Ready to Jump to the Next Level

LAKE FOREST, IL - Second-year Head Coach Chad Eisele, whose 2000 team won three games and lost three others by a combined eight points, feels his team is on the brink of a break-through season in 2001.  "It is going to take a concerted effort to get us to the level we are striving for," explained Eisele.  "I believe we are close to being an elite team in the Midwest Conference, and that extra effort will go a long way toward getting us there.  I was pleased with the steps we took last year, but now is the time for that progress to show up in the win column on a more consistent basis."

One player who is no stranger to football at a high level is middle linebacker Casey Urlacher, a First Team All-Conference selection and team Most Valuable Player during his first year with Lake Forest.  Casey is the younger brother of Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher, the 2000 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.  The younger Urlacher anchored a solid Forester defense that finished fourth in the league in scoring and total defense.

In the four years under Eisele (three years as defensive coordinator and one year as head coach), the Lake Forest defense has rewritten the school record books, including last season when they allowed the fewest total yards since the 1983 season.

The Forester offense, now under the direction of Brent Holsclaw, will seek to become a more balanced attack in 2001.  "I am extremely excited to have Coach Hoffman direct the offense," Eisele added.  "We have historically been a strong running team, but I am confident we will have a more balanced and efficeint offensive unit next season."  The Foresters were second in the league last year for rushing offense but just fifth in total offense and seventh in scoring.